and all men lyars his ipse dixit is sufficient and must make such who hope the best fear the worst who is he can excuse himself as not conscious or dare professe he never did no not one of those works * Gal. 5.19 20. of the flesh If thou sayest thou hast then hear what God hath to say unto * Vers 21. thee they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God O my God and my Christ preserve me from sin The Supplicat lest my sin debarre me of thy Kingdome But what shall all they be damned Object that do these sinfull works of the flesh Now give heed to what sall be said my answer I mean to poise in even scales and let neither Hickmans tongue nor Novatus his pen I mean neither presumptuous thoughts nor despairing imaginations have the draught one of the other All that live and die in the prequoted sins Res shall be damned it 's thy sin makes thee guilty it 's thy persevering in thy sin that damns thee the act of evill makes thee damnable the act of evill makes thee damnable the continuance in thy evill carries thee down into hell the Law is a Book-case which opened by Gods Counsellor Moses findes thee guilty The Gospell is a Writ call'd Melius ad inquirendum and thou shouldst fare better if thou livedst not still as ill For by own part by Gods good assistance The Avowry I am resolved upon it what I have done to do no more lest a worse turn betide me and as I cannot assoil my soul of evill no more am I resolved to hold on my evill courses Third Case is this 3. Case Who shall be admitted into the Kingdome of Heaven 1. My answer is this Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into thr Kingdome of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven God loves not him is nought but winde thou maist speak like an Angell and go to the Devill know it God is better pleased with deeds than words works among hand please him at heart let me tell thee if thou neglect to do that God bids then look not to come where God lives we must be men of action if we mean to go to Heaven yea and the square of our work be Gods will For my own part The Avowry I am resolved upon it to beg of God ability what I say to doe and that which at large I professe at leastwise in some poor measure I may practise 2. Persever anti dabitur to him that is faithfull to the end God will give a Crown of life O hold out and have Heaven the promise is not past to him who is to day a Protestant to morrow a Papist nor yet to him that begins in the Spirit ends in the fesh nor yet to him who puts his hand to the plow and puls it back nor yet to Sir Henry Horspur who puts on fast at first is soon tired who like the bird Glott is Hist flies fiercely in the forenoon but in the afternoon lags and comes behinde The Woodcocks flight is unfortonate to make such hast and so soon be tired mistake me not I dislike not your taking up your dough on your shoulders and in haste to high out of Egypt That I inveigh against is your not holding out to your journeys end but sitting down with Gad and Reuben on this side Jordan For my own part I am resolved by Gods good assistance The Avowry as I have begun so to go on yea with Elias to hold out my pace till I come to that heavenly Horeb the Kingdome of Heaven 3. Petenti dabitur aske and you shall have Let us pray for what we want and we cannot want what we pray for dumb men get no land The land of * Heaven Canaan in it expect no portion if not bespoke He that speaks to God by prayer comes to him like a begger is sent away like a King with a Kingdome It 's no time now to be tongue-tide when hearty prayer procures thus much For my own part The Avowry I am resolved upon it never to give over praying to God lest my forbearing to pray deprive me of Gods Kingdome 4. Vincenti dabitur He that can conquer earth sahll own heaven command O man thy self and heaven is at thy command never am I so sure of an excelse * The Kingdome of heaven fortune as when my lofty imaginations I bring low If I can over-rule my self here it is Gods will I shall rule with him in heaven Here is a * this flesh Goliah I must overmaster or no hopes to succeed in the Kingdome he that inthrals-himself to his lust hath got a new keeper and one will keep him from going to heaven For my own part The Avowry I will do my best devoir not to let sin reign im my mortall body lest my letting it here keep a quarter exclude my doby and soul out of heaven The fist moity of my method is this to divulge what graces we have from this petition given in Commendum They be two Faith Patience Graces two The Paralle Faith to beleeve the Kingdome to come Patience to wait till it do come Faith whose eye is ever intent upon on a remote object Patience who only eyes and none else but it owner It is Faith which estates me in the heavenly Kingdome It is Patience which procures my stay till the Kingdome come The first Faith makes my tack good This latter Patience the * This life interim no annoyance I am resolved to be earnest with my God The Avowry to give me two such gifts of grace as both assure me of * kingdome of heaven that I want and without the least repining overcomes mean man to wait the Lords leisure Faith is that Jacob's Ladder Faiths Character by which I ascend up from off earth into heaven It is Faith intitles me to a Kingdome in reversion though I have not a mole-hill in possession Faith is the evidence of things not seen and as needfull as is Evidence to lay claim by to an inheritance as requisite is faith for a suppliant to estate him in the Kingdome of Heaven He that with an honest heart to God will put up this petition stands need of Faith to beleeve an heaven Though my reason fails me to comprehend my faith overcomes me to beleeve a Kingdome to come my common sense can reach no higher than to sublunaries it 's my faith reaches to Celestials my prayer is neither pithy nor patheticall if my reason be nor interlared with faith I prate I pray not if I sall short to beleeve an heaven And here though I have leave to live in an earthly Kingdome want faith and I shall never enjoy the Kingdome of Heaven as my tongue must be guided by reason so my heart led on by saith or
he shall then have his will Hence it is for it we first pray and it coming among us for by Gods Kingdome may be meant Gods Kingdome of Grace that is his Church consisting of a multitude of beleeving Christians till the King of Heaven have a Dominion of such subjects on earth there 's no need to hope for much lesse to pray for his will may be done Before a Prince come to sway the Scepter he may command and be withstood when his kingdome is come his will shall be done Thus authority must precede command and a power over be had or the precept be obeyed An occasion made Christ will we should pray first for Gods regality That his Kingdome may come or he would a word to be spoke of it That his will should be done And thus I come to the third Petition in the Lords Prayer 3. Petit. which is this Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven this third petition precedes that fourth in which we pray for all things necessary for this life now I say this third hath prehemency of place before that fourth and it is to certifie us he that would have granted all necessaries for this life must first with Christ saying pray and praying say Father not my will but thy will be done The Petition for begging ability to do Gods will is set before the petition for getting goods A good monitour which shall make me It s Extract to get what I want to doe what God wils By these petitions placing I am informed the performance of Gods will guides on to the attainment of whatsoever needfull for the life of man This I am taught while thus learnt to pray first Thy will be done Then Give us our daily Bread And thus I come to the fourth Petition for bodily sustenance 4. Petit. which is set before our petitioning God for the remission of sins nor can I for certain determine what should be Christs meaning in placing a petition for our bodily good before the petitions for the remission of the sins of our souls yet I verily imagine to shew he would have mans naturall life first supplyed with what needfull and then set down what he should crave to get a life God gave leave on its behalf first to petition Or else it may be Christ did it to detect what man most longed for goods more than forgivenesse we have a better appetite to Bread corporall than spiritual and love Meat more than Manna It s Extract This petition then had this place signed perchance covertly to discover man is more sensible of bodily want than of those sores the sins of his soul and that he hath a greedier desire to have this worldly goods than to discharge his old debts in which cast by the default of Adam and himself Well while I cast my eye upon the situation of this petition I will not forget what I am taught when I come to suit God most runneth in our mindes these bodies of ours and the begging bodily necessaries daily Bread for bodies sustenance But come while I have seen Christ by placing this petition picture out mans own minde which runs upon the world so by that which followes Christ tels me what man more needs whilest I in stead of this one petition for the body Christ causes two petitions to be put upon his poor souls behalf The first of which two but fift by descent 5. Petit. from the preface is this Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that c. I am as yet to look at nought save this petitions precedency it 's set down before And lead us not into temptation now the precedency of this petition to that following It s Extract foreshewes it 's neither the sin which hangs on nor hanging over but what past and commit we are first to aske God forgivenesse for what first perpetrated God must first be petitioned to passe it by The placing this petition before implies it's sin past most endamnifies us more than either the marching on towards us of temptations or the now leâ—gre of evill lusts O my God The Avowry whilest I cannot forget what I now do I will call to minde what long since I have committed And now the last petition hath none to precede 6. Petit. nor is it the least for that the last placed for in this last petition we beg a double boon deliverance from future and present evill Thus what may seem by undersetting to be set light for last this last comprises in it a double boon that so it may have a like renown or else perchance it possesses this place that ever in this upshot of our devotions we should bear in minde what is the upshot of this prayer a petition for preservation now the Lord preserve us and defend us Again perchance this petition is last set down which involves a duplicated request to teach us As at the beginning so even to the end of our prayers we must be very earnest with God in our suit And now to period all these passages all and every of these petitions comprehend more matter than my tongue can utter or the eye of reason can discern when I have seen all I can I may say as did the blinde Lord that I may receive my sight Moses upon Mount Nebo saw the good land but could not from it make a full discovery of all the good things in it no more though walkt up to the Mount of Meditation and I see this fertile soile am I able to judge of all the hidden Treasure buried in the bowels of these petitions what I see I have set down and in writing that so not my own only but other catechumenists may bear it in their remembrance This Lords prayer contains 6. petitions like 6. shires in which I spie a world of rarities come let us range among them As I enter into the frontiers of the first petition these words I finde written to the honour of the great God and our Father Hallowed be thy Name such a land such a language this little prayer is Gods little Isle the first words the inhabitants have on their tongue ends are these Hallowed be thy Name Thus they are learnt at first to speak and say Hallowed be thy Name a pretty speech as concise as the Laconians as significant as Caesars three words Here is magnum in parvo much prayed for in few words we pray to God for God sinfull man that Holinesse it self may be hallowed a petition whose subject matter my methodobliges me to unfold and to shew unto you what is meant by this said Hallowed be thy Name In speaking upon the subject matter of these six petitions this method through one through all I mean to observe 1. Explain the words 2. Give you the full meaning of every petition 3. Collect some naturall observations 4. Extract out some Cases of Conscience 5. Shew what grace waits
than Nebuchadnezzars Image an head of clay and arms of iron Supremacy they wish not well the Clergy they make no more count of than iron metall or S. Judes trees as if our silver Chalices brought in wooden priests nay rather our rich Tithes have brought in a Sect a sort of devillish damnable Church Robbers who mean to go to heaven another way than ever their deceased ancestors those went by building Churches these by robbing the Chruch of her Tithes I wonder that these should make such a shew of holinesse when so full of sacriledge they abhorre Idols and yet c. But come what is it here we pray for in this petition while heard saying Thy Kingdome come State of the Church That is Lord let there be a visible Church upon Earth yea let the Church seem when Seen 1. Like a Kingdome not like a carrion with nothing on but skin and bone We have a company of poor Vicars and Curats in our Countrey will swear she is almost as ill like 2. Not like a solitary Cottage with nought left and as few in it Nay as a Kingdome hath a superplus of inhabitants and habitations so all good Christians ought to pray may be the state of this our Church Kingdome like the professors innumerable Kingdome like the Churches profits proportionable To what purpose patter they over this prayer whose exorbitant lives are the death of those should be subjects of this Kingdome the Church the visible Church They prate they pray not who pray for the coming of this Kingdome that is the visibility of the Church But while they have an eye on the Steeple lay unlawfull hands on the Tithes and leave not this innocent * The Church Ewe till they have shorn off her fleece and left her as sore wounded as was the poor Traveller God she may once meet The Supplicat with an honest Samaritan may shew her some compassion That here we pray for Interp. 3. is the grace of God as a visible Church so invisible grace by means of the one we are able to manage our selves maugre all mutinous mankinde and by this other to support our spirituals against that unclean spirit with seven worse than himself spoke of Mat. 12.47 Now this exposition I set here after the other for that in ordinary we must first have a subject or in hopes of an adjunct a being in the Church or the least expectance of our well being I mean of our being true sanctified members of the Church That then which according to this Exposition we pray for while we say Thy Kingdome come is that God would beslow his grace upon us A magazine of Grace a magazine full of which you have laid up in Gal. 5.24 That I infer is since by Kingdome may be meant the grace of God 1. That grace is of great force Extracts two 2. He that is inricht with it may thank God for it The first deduction my Master Christ made good when he said to Paul My grace is sufficient of thee The latter that demand determins Quid habes quod non accepisti the question putting it out of question that God is the author of every good and perfect gift And new O Lord give me of thy grace The Supplicat and I will fight it out against the greatest Goliah that cometh down to upbraid the Israel of my God By this Kingdome Interp. 4. may be meant the Kingdome in heaven or Church the Kingdome in heaven or Church triumphant and this I place after the Kingdome of Grace Quod non possumus venire ad deum per gloriam nisi ipseprimo veniat ad nos per gratiam If thus we interpret this petition this is the meaning Lord we thy Church on earth desire a fight and seat in thy Church in heaven and that we of thy Church Militant may be made members of thy Church Triumphant Cujus erit possessio sine timore usus sine fastidio refectio sine cibo In which kingdome thou maist live without fear eat without surset be fed full fat and fair need not go down to Egypts barns to buy bread nay what being an indenized Citizen in the heavenly Kingdome canst thou want Desirest thou Beauty Three Extracts fulgebunt justi sicut Sol. 2. Or agility of Body eris sicut angeli 3. Or long life ibi erit aeterna sanitas there thou shalt live for ever O my soul obtain this boon Solilequium and in getting it thou gainest all I will ever pray for Heaven The Avowry since having I cannot want what is in most repute upon earth The third part of my method warns me to forrage these words and gather up of them the points of Doctrine which grow upon them To help us do this we must make use of the division of this petition into parts naturally it dissects it self into two parts In Objectum In Actum The Object of the petition is Gods Kingdome The next in sight is the Act let is come thy Kingdome come Or Lord let thy Kingdome come The object of our supplicat is O God thy Kingdome Take it by way of superexcellency as primarily meant of Gods Kingdome in Heaven to which the Word points the Church leads and their parts to prepare us for Gods heavenly Kingdome While the Word begets the. Church brings out and Grace trains up us mortals making us fit to be made immortall inhabitants of that everlasting Kingdome Gods Kingdome the Kingdome of Heaven which is here described By its Propriety By its Immensity By its Propriety Thy. By its Immensity Kingdome A word avouches Heaven carries the Bole and Bulk of a Commonveal 1. The propriety prayes us to take notice Doct. 1 Heaven is Gods own this Pronoun * Thy. possessive pleads Gods right to it and estates him in it This earth God hath bestowed on us Heaven he hath reserved for himself and to it he hath right Ratione Creationis Gods title to Heaven Ratione Possessionis 1. By right of Creation a Deo creatur God made Heaven Gen. 1. 2. By right of possession est Dei sedes it 's Gods Seat Isa 6.1 66.1 And to shew Gods absolute power over and owning Heaven you shall read in the Revelations how the Elders in heaven reverence him And in the second of Luke how a multitude of heavenly souldiers praise him singing and all to the honour of the great God A song of 3 parts in Alto. Basso Medio 1. In Alto Heavens prisksong Glory be to God on high 2. In Basso Peace upon earth 3. In Medis Good-will towards men To let passe his souldiers love his Elders reverence his long possession and from first creating make up a good plea and intitle God to the Kingdome of Heaven He that hath made thus much The Avowry and is owner of no lesse for my own part I am resolved upon it his right of inheriting not once to
of daies when I am first in my own thoughts I am the last in Gods Book Let me set my self and all my wants a while aside till God be served let his glory be my aime in prime the second place will serve all my needs In glorifying thee a glorious good redounds to me I will not clip thy coine of glory lest I go not for currant in thy kingdome of grace O that thou wouldest inlarge my heart to give thee praise lest the want of this Foreman cause the rest of the Jurore my petitions to be excepted against in the presence of thee the Judge of Heaven and Earth The second Petition THe second Petition now succeeds by name Thy Kingdome come I will God willing speak upon The Number The Nature of the words to be explained First for number here is but one word difficult to be understood two in the former one here Can we learn no lesson from Gods plaining his speech O it shewes us 1. The more we acquaint our selves with God Three Intracts more plainly he will speak to us 2. As we grow in devotion we shall grow in understanding 3. That Gods Word with modesty the more we dive into it the more knowledge God gives to hold up our heads from drowning in the gulf of false exposition I am resolved to hold out my Rosary The Avowry with the Collect. reinforce my genius to peruse the Scriptures and all to prevent misprision augment my talent and enucleate the Text. Here is only one word to be explained Kingdome This word may be taken four waies 1. For the Scripture thus Mat. 21.43 where said Auferetur a vobis regnum Dei The Kingdome of God shall be taken from you 2. For the visible Church thus Mat. 5.19 where said He that shall break one of the least of these Commandements and teach men so shall be call'd the least in the Kingdome of Heaven 3. It may be taken for the grace of God Luk. 17. where said The Kingdome of God is within you 4. For the Church triumphant Mat. 8.11 where said Many shall come from the East and the West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of Heaven Now all may be here meant though in prime but one 1. And then we pray in this Petition That Gods Word and its understanding may come among us 2. That upon earth there may be a fellowship of faithfull professors visible 3. That Gods grace sent by that sayne his Spirit in that Charriot the ministery of his Word may visit our hearts 4. That these daies of misery being perioded Gods Kingdome of glory we may be seated in it In one word we pray for four things 1. That the word of God and its sound may be heard in our land 2. That we may be Gods visible Church on earth 3. For Gods grace 4. And for heaven at our ending Of this last what hopes without that precedent A circumvolution of the four fold sense Again its presumption to brag of grace and live without the Church Lastly it we aime at all we must doe a somewhat more It you purpose to be members of the Church be inspired with the Spirit hereafter have heaven let the Word of God dwell plentifully in your hearts I am resolved for my own part to make much of Gods Word The Avowry with the Collect. a mean to make me a member of the Church aequire grace and gain heaven You may be bad ground and sown with this seed A review the Word where this seed Interpretation 1. the Word for so it s call'd Luk. 8. is not sown that most fertile soils manured with Ethicks and the humane arts brings out but figtree-like cursed fruit Hence it is we pray way may be made for the Word of God and it may come ut adveniat hoc regnum that the kingdome may come So the Latine signifies which makes us sensible of Two things Extracts two 1. Our Condition 2. That in Expectation 1. Of our Condition that we are dronish in our devotion and love our ease more than our gains apparent while we pray Thy Kingdome come to us we walk not on to it 2. This in the second place makes us sensible of what in expectation That since advenit verbum the Word is come into our towns oratories ears that now prayed for is that the Word may enter into our hearts I am resolved to take notice of my backwardnesse in devotion The Avowry and all to make me more eager now this * Messenger sayne Gods Word is come to open the door of my heart and give it harbour Now this word its hieroglyphick or resemblance is a Kingdome for whilest we pray Gods Kingdome may come we mean Gods Word the word of truth And in these particulars the resemblance holds 1. For Kingdome like Resembances Gods Word is of power to correct instruct and reprove 2. It 's of force sufficient to make all outlawes inlaw themselves to Gods Law 3. Hath strength enough to meet in the field and to oppose all opposers be they Schismaticks or Hereticks Schismaticall in Discipline or Hereticall in Doctrine 4. The Nerves of a Kingdome are meat and ammunition such is the Word we live by it Deut. 8.3 it is call'd the sword of the Spirit Ephes 6.17 hath in it to feed at home and defend abroad 5. The best of Kingdomes Canaan had its commendation for abounding with milk and honey such is this whole land the word and therefore call'd sincere milk 1 Pet. 2.2 And therefore aver'd when the Prophet Ezekiel had put in his mouth a morsell of this earth that it was in his mouth as honey for sweetness Ezek. 3 3. I have travel'd through the land of the Philistims and the wildernesse of Sin A Supplicat But now O Lord strengthen my resolution to set up my resting place of abode in this * he means the word Taught Kingdome That here we pray for is a visible Church Interpretation 2. thy Kingdome come that is Lord let us enjoy a Church visible This interpretation I next bring in for that unmeet to be a Church untill it have received Gods good word Here we have leave to pray as against an Elias his paucity and the 7000. inforc't concealment So for liberty to continue daily in the Temple and to finde the favour to preach and hear the Gospell Act. 2.46 47. We pray then in this petition and it 's allowed for God by this second Exposition 1. That God may adde daily unto the Church Extracts two such as shall be saved 2. For the flourishing estate of the Church to the outward eye of the world Divers can endure the Queens * Church Daughter to be all glorious within but not that her Raiment should be of pure gold They cry all for sincerity within will tolerate no honourable train without Others would have the Church in worse case
else in vain I say this petition my faith must be founded on Gods Words and his Word is the wafter transports faith to my ear All said is true and for certain Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word preach'd it is then hearing brings beleeving and what I only hear of I am ensur'd of belief yea though I cannot set my eye on the Kingdome to come the eye of faith makes conspicuous what my bodily eye cannot discern He that hath not faith to belleve what here prayed for may pray all his life yet misse what he prayes for For my own part The Avowry while I pray with my tongue I will beleeve with my heart lest my want of beleef bereave my prayer of a blessing Secondly Grace given here in Commendum Patiences Character is Patience a meer stranger whom we have oft heard of and I Wish we were better acquainted with one deceives the time and brings a dismall day to an happy end one can make us content with what in hand till we acquire what we are to have and assures us of that hereafter which yet we never had when we rush fast on with more hast than good speed It is Patience perswades us to take time and wait the Lords leisure Behold a curious colour of a fiery spirit and the best delayer of the burning feaver of present desire When I long for what I want here is one overcomes me to wait till my want be supplyed and where as by promise I have past me heaven Patience advises to passe by the present expectance in hopes of future performance O thou qualifier of my desire who wils me not yet to look for yet still to hope for in whose repute is neither time past nor present but to come Since thou canst procure me time to stay The Avowry I am resolved to wait yea and possesse my soul with patience till it be Gods good pleasure to give me the Kingdome The sixt moity of my method wils me to give you warning what Vices are prohibited in this petition They be two Misbelied The Vices two Impatience The Parallel Misbelief all doubts Impatience all anger Misbelief which comdemns before the Assize Impatience which is provoked before cause It is Misbelief makes me misse of that I might have It is Impatience purveys for me what I would not have I lose by the one Heaven I get by the other au Enemy It is this hath made me resolve upon it The Avowry to banish both since both enemies impatience to my here-peace misbelief to my hereafter-happinesse Misbelief is of nigh alliance to incredulous Thomas Misbeliefs Character one is more sway'd by his own will than Gods Word An Heretick in judgement and since condemned to hell beleeves no Heaven A licentious libertine who lives as he list while he list not beleeve A lover of this world more than the world to come whose love so dotes on what he hath as makes him doubt of what to be * Heaven had Other limbs of the Devill offer the Kingdome of Heaven violence but this eldest son of Beliall labours utterly to deface that all glorious * Bilief that Heavenis Architecture It is misbelief abrases heaven out of mens thoughts copes mens thoughts and makes them earth in the burrow of terrene felicity as though this world were the chiefest good as though there were no heaven but on earth O how this Vice disglories God and robs him of his Crown Throne and Kingdome I am ever resolved to live at oddes with him is so great an enemy of the Kings The Avowry and to dilate my dear affection to Gods Kingdome I will ever live at deadly feude with infidelity Impatiences Character The second Vice this petition warns us to banish is Impatience one I must go talk with yet care not much for his company This is filius ante diem a base bred brat brought out before due time a hasty fellow and too forward mindes not what is prayed for must be stayed for and that bad desert must rest content with after owning This is he is more forward than wise and would have what none here living have Heaven in hand How do we wrong our Fortune when we will needs have it before our time Though I desire to be dissolved and be with Christ yet will I wait till the Lord give and the Lord take I will not unmannerly haste God till he please lest I displease God with my haft we must first work then have wages yet some would have wages ere they work yea be glorified ere have suffered as if Christ wore not a Crown of Thornes before a Crown of Glory Let me resolve upon it to abandon all impatience The Avowry and suffer till the eleventh hour since afterwards in hopes to have payed at the evening of my life a penny of glory in the Kingdome to come A Contemplation upon the second Petition Thy Kingdome Come Can I say this petition and not sigh to think how far from home An high fortune and yet but in expectation O I would not pray for that I want but that I want what I pray for It is my misery that I dwell with Meseck I should be happy could I get to Zoar O the day of my deliverance is not yet come while here I abide my day is turned into night after this transitory mometary life time my night of sorrow shall be turned into a day of everlasting joy Let me poyse my soul betwixt fear and hope and fear while that I hope yet hope in the midst of fear I will not despair for a Kingdome 's to come I will not presume since there is a cast at hazard who shall inherit How slow-footed is my soul must the Kingdome come to thee Wilt thou not go on to it Let me advance on to grace and glory will give me meeting let me not go down to Pall Lud Tubal nor yet to Javan of the Gentiles let me with the two men go up unto the Temple The Church way is the way to the Kingdome come I see I must take pains and walk on to the Church militant I shall never else be a member of the Church Triumphant O Lord let that Kingdome thy Word dwell plentifully in me then shall thy kingdome of glory be inherited by me But O my soule take some more solace in these high fortunes to be had in future Thou hast a sons portion in hand thou shalt have a Princes patrimony in reversion O let me presse on then to the prize of my high calling I am called on to be a Kings and to enjoy a Kingdome shall I trifle away time till it be past time there is but one way and it is a narrow way but one gate and it is a strait gate which leads unto this Kingdome Let me not be numbred among the foolish virgins who stayed behinde till the door was shut
that which concerns God and after this Reasons to perswade Gods grant for that which concerns us we are taught how to doe by the former why to hope for here for that O God The three last Petitions and the three Reasons in conjunction Thine is the Kingdome the Power the Glory Can we want no thou hast a Kingdome we will live in hopes of a pardon since thou hast power nor will we doubt of deliverance since all thou doest for us redounds to thy glory Nay we are confident of thy providing for us all earthly necessaries Their second conjunction remitting all our debts and trespasses delivering us from all evill of all sorts and all for that thou hast means a Kingdome Might and art of Power A review retrograde or backward of all the three Reasons and it addes also to thy glory it is for thy glory thus to deal with us thou art of power thus to provide for us nor hast thou strait room a corner but a Kingdome now Lord what beg'd grant for thine is the Kingdome Power and Glory It is to augment thy Kingdome and to enrich thee with mo heavenly subjects The Reasons reapplyed it is within the power of thy reach and if thou saiest it the Devill and hell cannot controll nay thus shall thy Majesty be magnified and a Court Mask full of glory be heaped upon thy head A short prayer pertinent to the matter prespoke of and now O Lord be favourable to thy people say to our bodies Ammi and souls Ruhamah provide for the one and be gracious to the other let our want be supplyed and our woe repealed Be pleased to provide for our bodies necessaries and grant our souls pardon Pardon O Lord what past prevent fins second onset and at this present be our protector from all evill But what inducement have we to draw God on to grant this * Threefold triple boon up for us our selves Object in these three last petitions A Triple Reason Ref. having relation to Gods Means Might Magnificence 1. To his Means he hath a Kingdome 2. To his Might he hath Power 3. To his Magnificence his is the Glory Let me pen my petition put it up and presently The first of the last three Petitions and the Reason poised present it to his majesty for since he is of means and hath much a Kingdome he will not then say us nay of a little a bit of bread Since he can what he will for of power no doubt then but he will forgive us that he can 2 2. and that 's enough Since he inhaunces his honour by it 3 3. and lais is the glory he will not this considered hinder our suit but grant a writ of delivery of us out of all our Temptations And now since our Christ hath tyed our good God to grant by this threefold cord of Reason It is but reason the three noble faculties of mans soul should be cal'd in to do service to these * Kingdome Power Glory three predicates de Deo Now let my understanding The three faculties of the soul set their task be set awork to finde out Gods Kingdome Let my almost unlimited will so far it walks by it in me let me be led to finde in him a power surpassing Let my memory be made the register to book in paper the variety of Gods glory But say my memory hath lost her note-book of record in part The three Cardinall Vertunall Vertues their assistants Gods charity to me extracts a confession that he excels in glory Say will be wilfull and will not ponder Gods Power it 's hope puts me in hopes his power is surpassing and Transcendent Say my understanding fail to comprehend the worth of the heavenly Kingdome it 's faith that leads on to beleeve Gods superexcelling Kingdome Blessed be that God hath left some reliques in me What cōmon to man as man Understanding Will. Memory Given something to me What proper to the man of God as a man of God Faith Hope Charity By which twice three I may finde out these three Thy Kingdome among us Thy power within us And thy glory above us Let me dwell upon the raptures of Reason Faith Two fingers point out thy Kingdome Of Will and Hope Coursers on to thy power omnipotent Of Memory and Charity the publick Notaries fo thy glory Nor do I mean thus to let these Reasons passe by me But more at large to discourse upon the three last petitions and these three all the Reasons And first I will cull them out by couples I mean a Petition and a Reason Then place them in the file of four three Reasons and a Petition That done a word and away of the perpetuity of Gods Kingdome Power Glory intimated in the word Ever The pairs are the first and first second and second third and third Give us this day our daily Bread This is the first of the three Petitions concerns us First pair For thine is the Kingdome that is the first of the three Reasons looks to God-ward to gain his grant and these two make the first pair How well are these matcht * Intimated in the first of the last three Petitions Want * Intimated in the first Reason Wealth Too little and abundance of store we the poor God the Prince * The pairs Emblenme Their Embleme is Pharaohs fat and lean kine The lean the embleme of this petition which denotes out our barrennesse The fat the embleme of Gods Kingdome which denotes out his fulnesse * That is the argument to gain Gods grant of the fourth Petition We want and thou hast this is the agrument and with such a good nature as our good Gods it will work The second pair are the seconds the second Petition and the second Reason This is the second Petition concerns us Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespasse against us For thine is the Power that 's the second Reason looks to Godward to get his grant How well are these matcht * intimated in the fift Petition wo and * Intimated in the second Reason worth mans great debt of iniquity and Gods grand purse-full of omnipotency mans exceeding sinfull score and Gods irresistible power who hath power to discharge us of what debt or sin soever The embleme of these The pairs Embleme is the poor debtor who cryes on my Lords Steward for mercy and the Stewards Lord who had power to qualifie what was laid in heat of choleron the poor mansscore That first is the * embleme or resemblance Hieroglyphick of our necessitated condition imported in the second of the three last petitions This other of Gods power who in despite of who so layes ought to our charge can discharge us our sinfull debt is great Thy Power O Lord a writ of protection This is the argument to gain Gods
a parte ante so a parte post for ever to endure for long beyond all time are to last Gods Kingdome Power Glory Yea world without end Longer than all the Kingdomes upon Earth longer than Sun and Moon longer than the sons of men All these wax old as doth a garment and after these perish it 's these three which break out and bud afresh like Aarons Rod. And yet if there be ought on earth to resemble their ever being Being it is Man not man living to die but dying to live not this his corruptible life but his life everlasting We had a beginning shall never have an ending and this no end of ours is like theirs but their beginning is like to Gods who is without beginning O how long since they were how long yet to last O ever everlastingly Such a King such a Kingdome Ever everlasting Such a Lord and such his Power Ever everlasting Such a State and such his state of Glory its Glory Ever everlasting Let me not doubt to get if I goe to him who hath enough to give a Kingdome and for Ever Let me not fear forgivenesse but beg of him hath power to grant it Power for Ever Let me not be discomforted but still live in hopes of deliverance since he is my friend will rescue who stands upon his Honour and Glory and that for Ever The Divine Contemplation upon the first Reason For thine is the Kingdome Loe have I not hopes of a supply I beg a boon of the King I had not turned a suppliant but that he whom I invocate is owner of a Kingdome O God and my King give me what I beg since thou hast enough to bestow without diminishing thy store look not at me an unworthy begger but consider how much I want and how much thou haft thou canst give to none more poor I can crave of none hath more to give I pray the Father let thy wealth supply my want since all my want may easily be supplyed with thy wealth I have been the Prodigall I have spent my portion I have fed on husks I am now in a sad and sorrowfull estate O like a father whose bowels earn with compassion say to my soul Welcome my son my son I will own thee I will enrich thee thou hast spent me much I have yet much more more to give than thou canst spend there are treasures at my right hand for evermore O thou who ownest even all who art Lord Paramount of heaven and earth I commend all my needs to thy bounteous liberality thou wilt help for art mercifull thou canst help for hast and a Kingdome Dear Father since thou ownest so much make me master of a little of one poor mansion for thine is the Kingdome I have no nothing and canst thou deny me thou hast a Kingdome and wilt thou not give me O give me what I want since what I want thou hast and much more abundance be so good to me since there is enough for thee a magazine to supply my want and maintain thy train I have a strong saith to beleeve thou wilt my illuminate reason assures me thou canst now thy submiss son and servant is begging shut not up thy mercifull compassion For thine is the Kindome The Divine Contemplation upon the second Reason For thine is the Power What were it to own a Kingdome and want power to dispose of it I serve a Master hath enough and power enough he hath a Kingdome and all in it and all at his command Angels in heaven the hearts of Kings upon earth and the very Devils in hell I am now ready to sing a Gloria patri all glory honour and praise be given to him who sits upon the Throne who sits betwixt the Cherubims and clasps the heavens in his hands who dashes the heathen in pieces like a potters vessell who hath put a stand to the sea and his hook in the nosthrils of the Leviathan such a Prince is my Master and such a Master do I serve who can what he will O will what thou canst even the saving my soul in the great day of the Lord Jesus But I have many enemies the world about me the Devill beheath me the flesh within me all are combining my destruction many to one and that one a weakling lame with Jacob limping with Mephibosheth What shall I now go do shall I despair no against hope I will hope I will put my considence in the God of Israel and why for have faith to beleeve thine is the power to vanquish power to deliver power to exalt out of the dust dunghill to a crown of immortall glory O God and my King I will fight with beasts at Ephesus go out against great Goliah encounter the unclean spirit with seven worse than himself I am sure to be more than conqueror so I fight under thy Banner for thine is the power to subdue Hell death and the Devill Othou the preserver of men be thou my Lord Protector and I doe not fear the fury of all the furies of Og and Magog I aske nought without thy reach I crave nought more than thou canst give give me strength to fight thy battell ability to hold out in the day of Temptation then Lord will I not fear the Tempter since I am sure thou hast the sole power to support The Divine Contemplation upon the third Reason For thine is the Glory It 's an happy exchange when both parties fare the better canst thou give me nought but thou gettest by giving Lord supply thou my wants and take thou the honour of it I have nought to retaliate yet still I receive give me more of that I want Mercy and take what is due to thee thy Glory I am imboldned still to beg since my begging inhances the honour of thy name who will not give to gain give me what I want and the supply of my want shall be the Trumpet of thy praise It is my shame I am become so destitute of all good that I am supplyed by the Lord for it all glory be to the Lord. Thus our God casts his bread upon the waters not many daies after findes it we receive it in lumps of Mercy he findes it in a whole patch of Glory he gives what we need he receives what he stands no need of and thus he helps us poor despicable creatures and thus he heaps up a full measure of glory upon himself Ride on O Lord with thine honour be thou to us a God of compassion and inhaunce in the sight of the Heathen thy own Honour While thou doest good to man thou unmaskest thy Majesty among men Lord stretch out thy hand to do us good yea give us Grace and take thou the Glory A Divine Contemplation upon Ever I cannot see how this can be Thy Kingdome Power and Glory from all eternity I had a beginning in Time and therefore uncapable to conceivean Eternity before all Time O now that Reason
failes lea Faith support And since O my King and my Christ it is thou hast said it I am resolved never to dispute it thou hast given me an ear to hear give me an heart to beleeve the eternity of thy Kingdome Power and Glory were this within the reach of reason I stood in no need of faith since it is above my Reason Lord I beleeve help my unbelief But come with the eye of faith let me look back and take a view of what was is and to be for ever Thy Kingdome Thy Power Thy Glory Three that ever were and three that ever owned a Trinity of persons a Trinity of Majesty and that for ever For Ever this is a note above the Musicians Ela a point without the sea-mans compasse a letter more than in our Christ-crosse-row yea a word which as yet never could the heart of man fathom Give me leave to admire this heavenly language which we mean mortals cannot learn and as becometh a Christian to subscribe not like an Atheist deride this high mysterie of eternity Loe the vast distunce betwixt the Creator and the creature as in parity of nature so in Eternity of Time I am a childe but as of yesterday and to last little longer than Plintes * Generated at morn dead at night flies But thou arta God whose Dominion had no beginning hath no ending The Persian the Parthian the Roman Empire we read and finde their α their ω but when thine first begun O God there is no Historian sets it down no Arithmetician can reckon nor no Divine is able to prognosticate they are all silent swallowed up with the thought of their eternity Mans imagination can wander and in an instant take a survey in the Idea of his understanding of all that ever was from the year of our Lord to the year of the Creation there is the Hercules pillar he can go no further for all his hast there he takes up his rest non datur ultra here all his thoughts stint as the Goal not to be gone beyond but what is this world of Time to this Ever and everlasting The thoughts of man are but a span in comparison of Eternity All the Kingdoms of the world are in their swadling belt compared with the perpetuity of Gods Kingdome Power and glory they had no beginning Miraculum miraculorum they shall have no ending for in secula seculorum O my soule servest thou such a King who owns such a Kingdome such a Potentate whose Power is so expanded such a Soveraign whose Glory darkens the Sun and is more aged then the whole Creation yea whose All is everlasting cast down thy self at his sacred footstool acknowledge his greatnesse thy own meannesse what thou art as nought what he is that divine Deity from everlasting to everlasting whose Kingdome Power and Glory are for Ever Amen THis Ever must not be an everlasting subject but be ended with Amen And so I come to the conclusion The fourth part of my method the conclusion Amen Amen the fourth and last part of this prayer This is the upshot and end of it We have now got from Dan to Beersheba from the hithermost to the utmost part of this prayer All of it hath been surveyed and all the worthies in it all save this one Amen 1. Let me tell you what Countrey-man is this Amen 2. Why made a native in every nation 3. Since a stranger come from far be pleased I may be to you his interpreter and tell you what he means First this Amen if you look at him prima ab origine from his first original Amen an Hebrew he is neither Greek nor Latine but a Hebrew lad and the last begot of the line of Heber and as ancient as the tongue in which the Old Testament was writ All this prayer else is of the linage of the Grecians This one only Amen is of the line of the Hebrewes And with this * Hebrew word Amen Jew Jesus shuts up the womb of his Prayer How in a mysterie do I meet with this contemplation Two Contemplations that the Jewes towards the End may get good by Christ and praying to him And that he who mixt the two tongues in compiling this prayer compiled this his prayer for the good of Jew as Gentile latet secretum in this Hebrew word hath laid hid this secret unseen till this time Well The Avowry while I period this prayer with this Amen this last word shall put me in minde of Gods first * Jewes love yea that there is hopes of the Jewes home coming and that those that are not Gods people may come to be cal'd the people of the Lord. Again this Amen is akin to the holy Tongue and with that tongue this prayer is perioded 2. How in a mysterie am I led to contemplate Contemplat 2. my heart to the end of my prayer should be heavenly since my tongue presumes to close it up with the holy Language I am resolved by Gods good assistance The Avowry my heart shall have a sent of such as is this last word here uttered And that as the last word of this my prayer is part of the holy Tongue so such as is that tongue such shall be my Heart Holy The second thing I promis'd was to 0110 2 shew why this Amen Amen a native in every nation is made a native in every nation I mean admit into every speech all Countries and Nations using it as usually naturally as their own naturall language so that now it is naturalized through the whole Christian world It s common traffique with all forts of Languages will witnesse this Austin gives this Reason Reas I ne vilesceret nudatum that it should not being made bare by interpretation become more vile among the people And therefore all keep to one and the same word Amen ut honorem haberet velati secreti to give honour to it as to a vailed secret It may be it is thus kindely entertained into all languages to note out hereby the consent of all nations Christian in the worship of God Or else this remainder of the holy Tongue is * Spred diffusive That the prophesie of Esa 19.18 may the fulfilled That the Gentiles should speak the language of Canaan A word then to be used by Jewes A review of the three Reasons by Gentiles and since by all nations by all the natives in those nations By the Ideot by the Learned This I beleeve let the Carnotensian * It forbids any of them to say Amen because they all count thēselves learned and for that it 's said that the Idcot say Amen Canon say what it will a word whose common use declares our serving one God in common And while we all in common conclude una voce as one with one and the self same Amen It hath made me admit to prayers with me the very wicked Let the proud
concern God and three men 34. Three Extracts ibid. The Petitions precedency or their going before one another pag. 38 The subject matter of the 6 petitions compar'd to 6. shires pag. 44 Two words to be explained pag. 46 The Sense of the petition pag. 49 The Collect of all said ibid. Two Doctrines in generall pag. 51 Doct. 1. We must be resolute for Gods honour pag. 53 Doct. 2. There 's a backwardnesse in the best of us to this duty ibid. Doct 3. Our care in Christ should be for Gods honour pag. 54 The cases of Conscience pag. 56 Three slight Gods word pag. 61 The graces two Sincerity Vigilancy pag. 66 The Contemplation The second Petition pag. 71 Kingdome taken four wayes pag. 76 Interp. 1. By Kingdome may be meant Word pag. 78 The word and kingdome alike in five things pag. 79 Interp. 2. By Kingdome may be meant the Church pag. 80 Interp. 3. By Kingdome may be meant Gods grace pag. 83 Interp. 4. By Kingdome may be meant Heaven pag. 84 The fourth Interpretation compendiously couched together pag. 86 Doct. 1. Heaven is Gods own pag. 86 Doct. 2. He that prayes for heaven prayes for no small thing pag. 88 Doct. 3. We have no heaven in hand pag. 89 1. Case of conscience whether any doubt there be such a thing as called Kingdome for heaven pag. 91 2. Case whether shall all living go to heaven pag. 92 3. Case who shall be admitted into this Kingdome of heaven pag. 95 The Contemplation The third Petition pag. 105 A twofold will of God pag. 108 Doct. 1. It comes hardly of with us to do Gods will pag. 119 Doct. 2. This life time is no priviledge time for following our own will and appetite ibid. Doct. 3. Heaven is set to the earths pattern pag. 121 Doct. 4. We have diverse School-masters pag. 122 The Contemplation The fourth Petition pag. 135 A paraphrase upon the fourth Petition pag. 140 Doct. 1. It is God can supplie all our wants pag. 147 Doct. 2. We have no right to ought till begg'd it pag. 149 Doct. 3. Our request for the world be limited otherwise will burst to be boundlesse pag. 151 Doct. 4. My state to my estate is not good till God confirme it pag. 153 Doct. 5. Our request for the world must be moderate pag. 154 1. Case of conscience How cometh it to passe that I who oft pray get so little pag. 156 2. Case How cometh it to passe that the wicked who pray not get much eartly meanes and much more then the Godly pag. 159 3. Case With what cautions may I pray for riches pag. 162 The contemplation The fift Petition pag. 174 The word Trespasse hath a double object God Man pag. 179 Doct. 1. It is God can forgive us our sins pag. 184 Doct. 2. Every sigular soul is a sinner pag. 285 Doct. 3. It s many sins of which we are conscious pag. 288 A simile taken from a Drunkard pag. 289 Doct. 4. Sin in allied in full bloud to Adams posterity pag. 190 Doct. 5. We shall be forgiven as we do forgive pag. 192 Doct. 6. God will forgive much for a little pag. 195 Doct. 7. Our Trespasses against God far exceed our neighbours Trespassing us ibid. The Contemplation The sixt Petition pag. 112 Temptation the bait pag. 215 Evill is the hook ibid. Doct. 1. In word to prayer pag. 231 Doct. 2. Loe a very wound we must have a care to keep far from pag. 232 Doct. 3. The Devill and sin our worst of enemies pag. 234 Doct. 4. Naught is more evill then the Devill and Sin pag. 236 The case of conscience after what manner doth lust intice us to sin and draw us on from serving God to become servants of sin pag. 237 The Character of Timidity pag. 254 The Character of Prespicacity pag. 255 The Parallell betwixt Presumption pag. 257 The Parallell betwixt Ignorance pag. 257 The Character of Presumption pag. 258 The Character of Ignorance pag. 259 The perpetuity of Gods Kindome Power Glory pag. 277 Read the Contemplations upon the three reasons Kingdome Power Glory pag. 280 A contemplation upon Ever the fourth part of our Lords Prayers pag. 285 The conclusion Amen Amen an Hebrew pag. 289 Two Contemplations pag. 290 Amen a native in every Nation pag. 291 The reasons why admitteds in every language ibid. A review of the three Reasons pag. 292 The Carnotensian Cannon ibid. Amens first sense pag. 293 The extract ibid. The taxation pag. 294 His supplicat ibid. Amens second sense ibid. St. Austins saying pag. 295 The ministers replication pag. 296 The hearers rejoynder pag. 297 His supplicat ibid. Amens third sense ibid. Pater noster Amen it s thereefold signification ibid. It 's taken pro juris jurandi nota pag. 298 The taxation ibid. His supplicat pag. 299 It signifies ipsam veritatem ibid. Three inferences pag. 300 The body of Moses and the name Jusus ibid. This Amen is sometime taken pro signo subseripri onis pag. 401 Three inferences ibid. A tripertite gain got by saying Amen pag. 303 The Avowry with the Collect ibid. A mans semblance pag. 304 The semblance between God and Amen pag. 305 It holds in five things ibid. Amen its three significations blush the three Persons ibid. Amens Character pag. 307 A divine fancie upon Amen pag. 311 Two twins or two meditations pag. 313 Four motives pag. 314 Meditation and what it is pag. 319 The meditation exemplified ibid. Three reasons to force on the meditation ibid. The fearfull haire pag. 320 Old Church prayer neither smels of Heresie nor Superstition pag. 322 A Contemplation upon Amen pag. 325 FINIS ERRATA PAg. 16. line 16. for of meritlesse read I mirit lesse p. 16. l. 14. s ther r. there p. 37. l. 11. f. sons r. wife p. 37. l. 12. f. this manner r. these manners p. 70 l. 6. f. whilest r. but p. 81. l. 4. f. God r. god p. 93. l. 6. f. beleevers r. misbeleevers p. 95 l. 20. f. by r. my p. 101. l. 14. f. secondly r. second p. 107. l. 20. f. and r. I p. 144. l. 26. f. a word r. p. 149. l. 19. r. of p. 161. l. 23. f. Hagar r. Agur p. 171. l. 17. f. under r. undoer p. 177. l. 12. f. Solomon r. Agur p. 195. l. 10. f. doer r. doth p. 211. l. 3. f. pursed r. perused p. 212. l. y. next 10 the word closed add to my neighbour p. 241. l. 2. p. 243. l. to put out of put must be added in the begimming of the line p. 310. l. 19. f. stomach r. stomach't
But O with Mephibosheth I am lame Lord that my ankle bones may receive strength suffer me not with Gad and Ruben to stay on his side Jordan ferry my soul through a sea of tears to a land of joy while here I am by the banks of Babel and cannot tune that instrument my Heart to warble our an Israelitish note bring thy servant to that place of eternall blisse and then O God and my King my lips shall shew forth thy praise and my spirit shall rejoyce in God my Saviour The third Petition NOw succeeds the third Petition Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven The old method shall still be observed First to explain the words difficult to be understood This is the third petition and here are three words to be explained in it The first word difficult to be understood is the word Will it hath been a received opinion Gods will is twofold Secret Revealed Gald by the Schoole men Voluntas finis Voluntas medii The first is the will of God concerning the end The second the will of God concerning the means leading to the end The first of these hath relation to the glorified in heaven the punished in hell The other to the Saints exercising gracious life but never to sinners living a lewd life To bring these home to the Petition here we pray for Gods will to be done that voluntus finis segregatim it may stand with the secret will of God in his good time to glorifie those predestinated Non conjunctim we call not of him to will the punishing of the reprobate in hell Secondly we pray to God his will may be done that is voluntas medii the overture of the means of grace may be offered to us and we lay hold of it yet was it never Gods will that the means sins which bring men to hell that they should actuate and abominable and blasphemous were it to pray for it 1. We pray then that Gods will may be done that is that it may be his actuated will that such as he in secret hath predestinated may be glorified we pray not it may be Gods will any to be damned We pray that the revealed means of grace mediums to glory may be proffered and profitable to all but the means leading to Hell which are sins God never wills have we any cause then to pray him to will them It is Gods will and we pray for it the means of grace not the means to damn man The first God wils not the latter It is Gods will and we pray for it the glorifying man in heaven not the punishing any in hell both which God wils only the first we pray for But to leave these acute passages primarily as I conceive Gods revealed will we pray may be perfected that it may be done which looks ad Deum Hominem The object of Gods revealed wil. Being twofold respectu Sui respectu Nostri We pray the will of God quatenus ad Deum speciat may be done by him as that whereas he hath willed it he may do it convert the Gentiles call home the Jewes and let the sound of his Word go through all nations And yet S. Cyprian perswades me this is not the will we are will'd to pray may be accomplished who saith Non petimus ut Deus faciat quod vult sed ut nos facere possimus quod Deus vult we do not pray in this petition that God would bring to passe what he hath said he would do but here we pray for an ability for us to do as God wils Respectu nostrum we pray what is Gods will we may have power and strength to do it Thy will O Lord not my will thy will only not thine and mine thy will let it be done though I have been unwilling Whatsoever God in his word wils we must pray for ability to do it And thrust back will the naturall our will the corrivall wilfull will would bear all the sway stet proratione voluntas like good subjects let Gods will stand for a Law with us That we pray for then and it is allowed for good in this petition is that Gods will may by us be accomplished The two then in the scales are Gods will and mans work this is to be directed by that preponed As if what man did should sent of what God willed as if what is Gods will may be our work Well then I will not live in any notorious sin Res lest while I say this petition and desire power to performe I blaspheme Secondly I have learnt out a fit mate to match with my works it is Gods will Lord that we could spie these two and for ever together our works then would have no such adulterous off-spring For my own part I am resolved The Avowry the will of God shall be the square of my work neither will I undertake to do that work is opposite against Gods good will and pleasure The second word to be explained is Earth apparent while prayed Thy will be done in Earth such may be the stones as be we if God will such were we as the earth at the beginning There being such consanguinity betwixt that we tread on and we that tread on it may put us and in doubt what is meant whilest said Thy will be done in Earth That in chief is that Gods written will may be done In this Earth pro loco by us who are Earth pro materia Here we pray that all the inhabitants upon the earth may apply their best endevours to do what God wils were our practise sutable to our prayers our prayers protest we should all the practis of Divine duties Well The Avowry while we put up this petition for all on Earth to do Gods will I will call to minde what we all should do but bemoan our tongues and lives are at oddes But while we talk of Earth Heaven must not be forgotten which is the third word to be explained And as by Earth is meant men on earth so by Heaven Angels in Heaven And are Angels set to be mens samplers pretty patterns and could we take them out our Master Christ would take it for well done O thou who made us in thy own likenesse The Supplicat vouchsafe of thy wonted goodnesse that thy will may be done by us as by the Angles Nor is this all other acceptations are at hand would you be pleased to accept of them 1. Some understand by Earth Infidels by Heaven the faithfull The faithfull are the lowest region of Gods Heavenly Kingdome The Infidels are the upper regiment of the Devils earthly dominion and yet it is prayed for that Gods will may be done by the one as by the other by the Infidels as by the faithfull O my God His Vote for all that all thy servants study to do thy will yet will I beg that that many may be made more by the conversion